Interview: Melissa Marino, author of ‘So Screwed’

Interview: Melissa Marino, author of ‘So Screwed’

Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Melissa! Please tell us a bit about your new release, So Screwed.

Melissa: So Screwed, the second book in my Bad Behavior series, is set in my hometown of Chicago, where Abel, a smooth-talking, speakeasy bartender, and Evelyn, a strong-willed wedding planner, embark on a passionate, consuming relationship in which secrets threaten to tear it apart. There is also Mr. Darcy quotes. ::winkwink::

Joyce: What inspires your book ideas?

Melissa: As simple as it sounds, almost all my inspiration is pulled from real-life events, and this has come to me in a variety of ways. Grocery shopping, online dating ads and simply people-watching have given me plot bunnies. For my first book, So Twisted, about a nanny and the single dad she works for, the story was sparked after a conversation over a decade ago.

I was out with my older brother one night when we ran into a friend of his. My brother had told me he was divorced, but was there with his new girlfriend. Later on, while talking with the friend, he told me that his girlfriend was also his children’s nanny — she was the nanny first. This fascinated me, so I asked him, “If you’re out with the nanny, who is watching the kids?” He responded after a chuckle, “I had to hire a babysitter to take out the nanny.” I immediately thought to myself … that is a story idea. I never forgot it, and it was eventually the conversation that led to my first published book.

Joyce: Would you like to share a favorite moment from your writing career?

Melissa: I can’t think of a better moment of my writing career so far that tops finding out I had an offer on my first book. If that wasn’t thrilling enough, the offer was for a series.

It is life-changing no matter how or when you get “that call,” but mine is extra special. I got the call from my agent the day before Christmas, and I didn’t even believe her at first based on the timing. All I could think before she told me, and why she could possibly be calling, was that she was going to break up with me. I thought I had probably done or said something inadvertently to make her angry. No. It wasn’t that at all. An editor had read my book, loved it and reached out to her. It was real. It was the best Christmas present ever.

Joyce: Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?

Melissa: I know I’m not alone, but This Is Us has slayed me. I was late to the party, but last week, I decided to see what all the hype was about. One episode in and I was hooked. I watched all current episodes (at the time), all 16 of them, in two days. The acting is amazing, but as an author, it’s the writing that has me so moved. It is smart, poignant and so many other things I can’t articulate. I think every person who watches it can identify with at least one of the characters and as a writer, that is the powerful stuff that sticks with you.

Joyce: Do you have a pet that hangs out with you while you’re working?

Lucy says hey.

Melissa: I sure do! My little dachshund Lucy. She is sassy, complicated and full of personality. I have never known a more high-maintenance dog in my life, but that’s what makes her so perfect for me. If I’m in my office, she will be lying on the floor nearby. If I’m on my comfy couch, she is snuggled on her pillow next to me.

Joyce: What are you working on now?

Melissa: I currently just put the finishing touches on So Wicked, the third book in the series, which comes out May 7. It’s a perfect conclusion to this series in a book about redemption, finding love where you least expect it and the ultimate act of forgiveness. I also take a departure from my usual Chicago setting and transport readers to “The Happiest City in America” — San Luis Obispo, located on the central coast of California.

My other project that is currently being drafted is another contemporary romance that takes place the night the Chicago Cubs win the World Series. It was such a pivotal experience for my city, and while I’m a die-hard White Sox fan, I couldn’t help but be thrilled for the crosstown team. In addition, this couple must navigate the path between issues from the past, but wanting so desperately to give in to a once-in-a-lifetime love.

Joyce: Thanks, Melissa!

About So Screwed:

He’s charming, wicked, and handsome … and she needs to stay away.

For Evelyn Owen, work comes first. Being a wedding planner to the city’s elite fills her nights and weekends, and she doesn’t have time for distractions. Especially in the form of a sexy bartender with killer dimples …

Abel Matthews knows how to serve the ladies. But lately, the only woman he wants is just out of reach. That’s because Evelyn has already been warned about his playboy ways. Still, there’s something about her that makes Abel want more than a quick fling.

Evelyn knows that she shouldn’t trust Abel. Yet she’s seen a side of him no one else knows, and she can’t turn away. But Abel is hiding something from her … and if he doesn’t confess soon, it will tear them apart.